# Marrow adipocytes modify the neural regulation of bone

> **NIH NIH R56** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $341,011

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 Accumulation of bone marrow adipocytes within the skeleton has been linked to bone loss and
metabolic disease. However, we know very little about the regulation and function of the mature bone marrow
adipocyte. This significant gap in knowledge limits our ability to prevent the negative and target the positive
actions of bone marrow adipocytes, which fill ~70% of the adult human skeleton and make up 8-13% of our
total body adipose tissue stores. This information is critical to develop novel strategies for the safe, effective
treatment of disorders such as osteoporosis. A key factor limiting our understanding of the pathophysiology
and function of the mature bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) adipocyte and its contributions to bone health
is the lack of in vivo models. To overcome this, we have generated a novel genetic model that allows for
conditional targeting of the BMAT adipocytes. In addition, over the past 5-years, we have developed and
optimized several models of selective BMAT catabolism. In this proposal, we will these models to (#1) define
how direct and indirect neural regulation of BMAT contributes to bone formation and skeletal homeostasis and
(#2) determine if controlled regulation of BMAT catabolism can restore lost bone in settings of metabolic and
skeletal disease. Our long-term goal is to contribute to the foundational understanding of the basic cell biology
and integrated physiology of the mature BMAT adipocyte. Our central hypothesis is that BMAT serves as a
local energy reservoir that can be selectively catabolized to preserve or enhance local osteoblast function in
states of systemic metabolic distress and neural-induced skeletal suppression. Successful completion of this
work will improve our understanding of how bone health is regulated by the nervous system and how this is
modified by the presence of mature bone marrow adipocytes. This will provide important insights into the
causes of bone loss and osteoporosis and contribute to development of new strategies for treatment of
metabolic skeletal disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10696358
- **Project number:** 1R56AR081251-01
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Erica Lynn Scheller
- **Activity code:** R56 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $341,011
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-22 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10696358

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10696358, Marrow adipocytes modify the neural regulation of bone (1R56AR081251-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10696358. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*